Key Factors When Designing Your Dorm Room

Jen Saunders

When it comes to designing your dorm room, take certain key factors into account. It might be designed to be aesthetically pleasing and to promote a positive study environment. It must probably will have to utilize a limited amount of space to maximum efficiency. Decorating a dorm room to accomplish these tasks doesn’t simply translate to throwing up some posters on the walls and buying trendy furniture. It requires careful thought and planning.

Your Desk

An ergonomically designed workspace in your dorm room will reduce fatigue and help keep you focused. Your work surface should be waist-high, according to experts. When you are seated at your desk, your elbows should rest easily on the surface without you having to hunch your shoulders. Your computer monitor should be 18 to 30 inches from your face. If you can't afford an expensive ergonomic chair, try rolling up a blanket and place it above your tailbone, between your body and the back of the chair. This will relieve pressure from your upper back and shoulders. Use adequate lighting. If your desk lamp isn’t bright enough, your eyes can get tired or you can get headaches. Full-spectrum fluorescent lighting is ideal for dorm rooms.

Colors

Before deciding on color scheme for your dorm room, consider the psychological effects that color has on students. For example, studies have revealed most students performed better academically when being surrounded by blue rather than red. Cool, calming colors are usually favored over hot colors in academic and clinical settings. While you probably won’t be allowed to paint your dorm walls, hanging textiles on the walls might accomplish the same thing. Just make sure you don’t violate any rules regarding invasive wall drilling. If you are unsure, ask your dorm’s resident advisor.

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Organization

If you have good room organization, you will be able to relax and concentrate better. Clutter distracts people and makes focusing more difficult. Measure your dorm room’s dimensions and invest in low-profile storage bins to house your items. Look for storage furniture that is tall and shallow rather than short and deep so you can utilize more floor space. This will give the illusion that your room is larger than it actually is.

Clean Look

There is an old expression stating less is more. You might want to display numerous photos, knickknacks and art pieces, but too many will overwhelm the space. To avoid a cluttered look, store your items and display them on a rotational basis. This will allow you to enjoy all of your things while adhering to a clean look. This method also allows you to refresh the room’s look without investing in new materials every other month.

About the Author

Jen Saunders is an entrepreneur and veteran journalist who covers a wide range of topics. She made the transition to writing after having spent 12 years in England where she studied and taught English literature.